Auxiliary piano keyboard



Nov. 19, 1963 v. WEIGL 3,111,056

AUXILIARY PIANO KEYBOARD Filed July 7, 1961 JNVENTOR. M4 eve/5 Was;

W ATTQ 5y United States Patent 3,111,056 AUXHHARY HANG KEYBOARD Valerie Weigl, 55 W. 95th St, New York, NX. Filed July '7, 1961, Ser. No. 122,489 8 @laims. (6i. 84425) This invention relates to an auxiliary keyboard to be mounted upon a conventional piano for the primary purpose of facilitating playing of the piano by the physically handicapped.

In the treatment of certain diseases it has been found especially helpful if the patient can be encouraged to perform simple exercises of afilicted body parts. Also, if the exercises can be made enjoyable they will provide necessary mental relaxation and relieve inner tensions and anxieties to some extent. Furthermore, mastery of small problems in physical movement and coordination tends to give handicapped patients a measure of confidence which encourages them to make greater clients to improve.

Crippling diseases, such as cerebral palsy, often attack children, leaving them partially crippled, poorly coordinated and usually confining them to a wheel chair existence. They are not able to enjoy the games and activities normally participated in by a well child. To compensate for this lack, more sedentary activities must replace the vigorous exercises. Also, if possible, the exercise should be such that its accomplishment should give the patient a feeling of achievement. Learning to play a musical instrument fulfills all these objectives. and gives a rare pleasure to the player. However, the ditiic'ulty of playing an instrument, if the player has little control of his limb and finger movements, is sometimes so discouraging initially that the patient despairs of learning. It was to overcome this disadvantage that the present inventor, a teacher of music at a cerebral palsy rehabilitation center and school, devised the auxiliary piano keyboard which is the subject of this invention.

it should be apparent from the nature or" the problem and the recognized difficulty of even a normal person playing the piano expertly, that it is not expected the the present invention will allow the handicapped to play difiicult piano selections. But it Will facilitate the playing of simple tunes by patients whose coordination is not good enough for them to be able to strike even single notes accurately on a standard piano. Hopefully, with this first step in piano playing mastered, the patient may go on with his practicing until he is able to play easy melodies on a conventional keyboard. As will be evident from the following description, the present invention is a comparatively inexpensive device which can be easily attached to or removed from a piano. Thus, it is not necessary to have made a special, expensive musical instrument that will be usable by the handicapped only. This auxiliary keyboard can convert any conventional piano into a specialized device for recreational physical therapy.

The present invention will be readily understood from the following description, taken in conjunction with the appended drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invented auxiliary keyboard in playing position on a conventional piano keyboard;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the keyboard assistant,

cut away to illustrate the piano keyboard underneath and shortened to better illustrate the invention;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of the auxiliary keyboard on a piano, corresponding to FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged end elevation along plane 4-4;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged vertical section along plane 5-5; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial vertical section along plane 6-6'.

Numeral ll designates a conventional piano keyboard, having natural keys '13 or full notes and half note keys 15 which are also identified as sharps and flats. immobile end blocks 17, end rails l? and front rail 21 complete the parts of the piano shown.

Resting atop the piano is the invented auxiliary piano keyboard 23. This comprises a substantially horizontally extending flat frame member 25 which is marked into divisions such as 27 for whole notes and 29 for half notes. These divisions overlie the corresponding notes of keyboard ll. Through frame 25 passes a multiplicity of holes or hearing passages 31, one atop each key of the piano upon which the auxiliary keyboard is mounted. Through each hole an auxiliary key stern portion 33 is inserted, its size being only slightly less than that of the hole so that the key may move easily up and down, but without a rocking action such as might result if the clearance was excessive. At the tops of the stems, which are preferably cylindrical, are finger contacting key tops 35. Keys 35 are smaller in area than the piano keys which they actuate. As illustrated, they are spaced apart to facilitate playing of the piano by a handicapped or poorly coordinated person. it is desirable to have the auxiliary keys corresponding to the natural or whole notes arranged in at least two rows and staggered so that they may be easily differentiated by a player. Other auxiliary keys corresponding to the half notes are arranged in a third row; they need not necessarily be staggered because the half note keys are not adjacent one another. Of course, it is highly preferable that the auxiliary keyboard extend from one end of the piano to the other and be adapted to actuate both the whole and half note keys. Still, it is possible to utilize a more limited board having a range of only one octave and actuating only the White keys.

The auxiliary keys are held above the auxiliary keyboard and out of contact with the piano keys by holding means 3 7 which, in the embodiment illustrated, is a spring. Each key has a spring of desired spring constant coiled about the stem 33 and between the bottom of key tops 35 and the top of keyboard 23. As shown, the key tops at rest are all in the same horizontal plane, but this can be varied if it is found that playing is easier when the keys are at different heights or if it is found that the rows of keys should be at different heights. At the bottoms of the keys are cushioning means 39 to protect the piano keys and to prevent noise of contact of auxiliary key stems and piano keys. if desired, means. such as cotter pins may be provided through key stems below the frame 25 to prevent the auxiliary keys from being accidentally removed.

Piano keyboards are usually of standard sizes and a full 88 note keyboard will be of almost the same length on pianos made by any of a number of manufacturers. Therefore, it may not always be necessary to specially mount the auxiliary keyboard on the piano and mere placement thereon may sometimes suffice. Thus, if the auxiliary keyboard is properly sized it may be placed on the piano and will not be subject to longitudinal movement because it abuts the piano end blocks 17 or end rails 19. However, to allow the auxiliary keyboard to be used on pianos which might differ slightly in keyboard sizes, it is usually best to have means at both ends of the frame 25 to prevent longitudinal movement, said means preferably being other than the ends of the frame itself. Also, it has been found necessary to have means at both ends of the frame to support the frame on fixed parts of the piano. Still other means are similarly provided to prevent undesired transverse movement of the keyboard. Preferably all such supporting and movement-restrictive means are adjustable. Certain forms of such means are illustrated in the drawing.

At the ends of the frame 25 are shown spacers ll and stepped ends 43. Both are slotted vertically at 45 and 47 respectively. From frame 25 a threaded stud 49 projects through slot 45 and another 51 projects through slot 47. Thumbscrews or wingnuts 53 allow the tightening in place of the stepped ends at Whatever height may be desired. If additional spacers are needed they may be added and if the stepped ends alone will suffice the spacers may be dispensed with. At the front portions of both ends of the auxiliary keyboard are other stepped blocks or positioners 55 which are adjustably fastened to a longitudinally extending vertical member or board 57 by thumbscrews 59 or studs and wingnuts or other suitable holding devices. Board 57 is firmly joined to the auxiliary keyboard frame 25.

As will be appreciated from the above description, proper positioning of the fitting members 43 and 55 fixes the auxiliary keyboard in position on the piano, preventing undesired longitudinal and transverse movement thereof. It also allows the adjustment of height of the auxiliary keyboard above the piano keys and permits tilting of the auxiliary keyboard when that is wanted. Such tilting is indicated by the phantom lines in FIG. 4.

Operation of the invention is almost self-evident from the description of the structure given, as are the advantages thereof. One merely has to place the keyboard on the piano, adjust spacers and positioning members by turning the appropriate thumbscrews so that the auxiliary keys overlie the piano keys correctly and then the piano is suitable for playing by persons with poor muscular coordination, especially children who have been afilicted with disabling diseases such as athetoid cerebral palsy.

What is claimed is:

1. An auxiliary piano keyboard comprising a substantially horizontally extending frame for overlying a piano keyboard, means at both ends of the frame for supporting the frame in fixed position independent of any movement of the piano keys by resting on a fixed part of a piano at each end of the keyboard, means at both ends of the frame for contacting tightly against a fixed part of the piano at each end of the keyboard for preventin longitudinal movement of the frame with respect to the piano, the frame having a plurality of vertical openings therein, with at least one opening for each white key in at least one octave of the piano and a plurality of auxiliary keys having stems which extend through the openings, the auxiliary keys each being separated from each other by distances greater than those separating piano keys and being of area less than that of the piano keys and thereby being separated from and more readily differentiated from other keys to facilitate playing of the piano by physically handicapped persons.

2. An auxiliary piano keyboard comprising a substantially horizontally extending flat frame having a multiplicity of openings therein and adapted to overlie a piano keyboard, each opening being positioned above a piano key, a multiplicity of auxiliary keys which are adapted to strike associated piano keys when depressed, each auxiliary key being separated from other auxiliary keys by distances greater than those separating piano keys and being of area less than that of the associated piano key and having a stem portion passing through an opening in the frame above a piano key, means at both ends of the frame for supporting the auxiliary keyboard in fixed position independent of any of the piano keys movings by resting on a fixed part of the piano at each end of the keyboard and means at both ends of the frame for contacting tightly against a fixed part of the piano for preventing longitudinal movement of the frame relative to the piano, the auxiliary keyboard so described being one which facilitates playing of the piano by physically handicapped persons.

3. An auxiliary piano keyboard comprising a substantially horizontally extending flat frame having a multiplicity of vertical openings therein and adapted to overlie a piano keyboard with an opening positioned over each piano key,a multiplicity of auxiliary keys with stem portions thereon passing through the auxiliary keyboard openings, each auxiliary key being of area less than that of the piano key thereunder, being spaced apart from other auxiliary keys by distances greater than those separating piano keys and being adapted to strike a piano key when depressed, means extending downwardly from the fiat frame at both ends of the auxiliary keyboard for supporting it in fixed position independent of movement of any of the piano keys by resting on the piano end blocks, means at both ends of the auxiliary keyboard for abutting tightly against the end blocks and preventing longitudinal movement of the keyboard relative to the piano and means at both ends of the auxiliary keyboard for abutting against a front rail of the piano and preventing transverse movement of the auxiliary keyboard relative to the piano.

4. An auxiliary piano keyboard comprising a substantially horizontally extending fiat frame having a multiplicity of vertical openings therein and being adapted to overlie a piano keyboard with an opening positioned over each piano key, a multiplicity of auxiliary keys with stem portions thereon passing through the auxiliary keyboard openings, each auxiliary key having a finger contacted surface above the surface of the flat frame and of area less than that of the piano key thereunder, said auxiliary key being spaced apart from other auxiliary keys by distances greater than those separating piano keys and being adapted to strike a piano key when depressed, height-adjustable means extending vertically downwardly from the flat frame at both ends of the auxiliary keyboard, for supporting it in fixed position independent of movement of any of the piano keys by resting it at a desired height above the piano keyboard on the piano end blocks, longitudinally adjustable means at both ends of the auxiliary keyboard for abutting tightly against the piano end blocks and preventing longitudinal movement of the auxiliary keyboard relative to the piano and vertically adjustable downwardly extending means at both ends of the auxiliary keyboard for abutting against a front rail of the piano and preventing transverse movement of the auxiliary keyboar'd relative to the piano.

5. An auxiliary piano keyboard according to claim 4 in which the means for adjusting the height of the auxiliary keyboard and the means for preventing longitudinal movement thereof are combined in downwardly extending supporting member which is vertically slotted and adapted to be held at a desired height relative to the flat frame of the key-board by tightening of a thumbscrew and which supporting member is stepped at the bottom thereof and in which auxiliary keyboard the means for preventing transverse movement of the auxiliary keyboard is also a downwardly extending vertically slotted member stepped at the bottom and adapted to be held at desired height relative to the flat frame by tightening of a thumbscrew.

6. An auxiliary piano keyboard according to claim 2 in which the fiat frame is marked to simulate piano keys.

7. An auxiliary piano keyboard according to claim 2 in which the auxiliary keys are located in at least three longitudinally extending rows with half notes in at least one row and whole notes in at least two rows with adjacent keys staggered to facilitate differentiation of the keys and playing of the piano by physically handicapped persons or persons having poor control of their finger movements.

8. An auxiliary piano keyboard according: to claim 2 in which the stems of the keys are of lesser cross section than the upper surfaces thereof, slide easily through the openings in the auxiliary keyboard flat frame, are of cross section only slightly less than the openings to prevent rocking of the keys in the bearing openings, have pads at the bottom thereof to prevent marking of the piano keys and to muffie noise of contact and have springs atop the flat frame to hold the keys above the piano keys except when depressed to play.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 189,548 Carrozzi Apr. 17, 1877 274,464 iClififord et al Mar. 27, 1883 718,691 Branrhach Jan. 20, 1903 904,730 Scurfield Nov. 24, 1908 1,795,468 Bonilla Mar. 10, 1931 1,883,115 Bonilla Oct. 18, 1932 2,562,670 Koehl July 3 1, 1951 2,562,673 Larsen July 31, 1951 3,028,780 Merchant Apr. 10, 1962 

1. AN AUXILIARY PIANO KEYBOARD COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING FRAME FOR OVERLYING A PIANO KEYBOARD, MEANS AT BOTH ENDS OF THE FRAME FOR SUPPORTING THE FRAME IN FIXED POSITION INDEPENDENT OF ANY MOVEMENT OF THE PIANO KEYS BY RESTING ON A FIXED PART OF A PIANO AT EACH END OF THE KEYBOARD, MEANS AT BOTH ENDS OF THE FRAME FOR CONTACTING TIGHTLY AGAINST A FIXED PART OF THE PIANO AT EACH END OF THE KEYBOARD FOR PREVENTING LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT OF THE FRAME WITH RESPECT TO THE PIANO, THE FRAME HAVING A PLURALITY OF VERTICAL OPENINGS THEREIN, WITH AT LEAST ONE OPENING FOR EACH WHITE KEY IN AT LEAST ONE OCTAVE OF THE PIANO AND A PLURALITY OF AUXILIARY KEYS HAVING STEMS WHICH EXTEND THROUGH THE OPENINGS, THE AUXILIARY KEYS EACH BEING SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER BY DISTANCES GREATER THAN THOSE SEPARATING PIANO KEYS AND BEING OF AREA LESS THAN THAT OF THE PIANO KEYS AND THEREBY BEING SEPARATED FROM AND MORE READILY DIFFERENTIATED FROM OTHER KEYS TO FACILITATE PLAYING OF THE PIANO BY PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS. 